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Commission hears 2023 STI/HIV/HCV epidemiology report, HCV plan update, PrEP outreach for Black women and long-acting injectable briefing
Summary
LDH staff presented the 2023 epidemiology report and updated the commission on the Hepatitis C Elimination Plan (extended one year), a statewide PrEP outreach effort for Black women (BWAP), and long-acting injectable HIV medications; members discussed rural HIV trends and pharmacist authority under Act 711.
State public-health staff presented a series of updates to the Louisiana Commission on HIV and Hepatitis C Education, Prevention, and Treatment on Oct. 8, 2024.
Dr. Sam Burgess, director of the STD/HIV/Hepatitis Program (SHHP) at the Louisiana Department of Health, presented the 2023 epidemiology report covering syphilis, congenital syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV and hepatitis C. Slide decks from presentations are available on request from the commission staff. In announcements, Dr. Burgess said the state has not seen declines in new HIV transmissions in rural areas comparable to the declines experienced in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
Anthony James, deputy director of SHHP, provided an update on Louisiana's Hepatitis C Elimination Plan. Chair Dr. Tavell Kindall clarified that the HCV elimination plan has been extended for one year, and James told commissioners the program is considering six different models for addressing hepatitis C statewide. When asked by Commissioner Norma Porter whether reported treatment failure rates reflect drug failure or adherence, James said the program has not done that analysis and suggested the cause is likely a combination of both; he emphasized examining reinfection rates to inform responses.
Jacky Bickham, prevention manager at SHHP, presented the Black Women & PrEP (BWAP) initiative and introduced BWAP ambassadors Shantell Graham, Diedra Jessie-Hill, Dr. Erica M. Boseman and Dimitre Blutcher. Presenters identified two main barriers to PrEP uptake among Black cisgender women: clinicians (OB/GYNs and some primary-care providers) not offering STI screening or PrEP at annual exams, and the lack of visible peer examples of Black women taking PrEP. Bickham said BWAP is intended as education and awareness-building — "not a campaign to get women to take PrEP, but rather an effort to educate Black Women about the existence of PrEP via social media and through education of OB/GYN residents." Graduate nursing students Kayla Kling and Ali Carter asked whether BWAP targets providers beyond OB/GYNs; presenters and commissioners discussed focusing outreach on OB/GYNs and nurse practitioners who provide GYN care and noted gaps in national nursing curricula around PrEP.
Chair Dr. Tavell Kindall presented on commercially available long-acting injectable medications for HIV prevention and treatment. Discussion of prevention and treatment in rural areas was moved to the November agenda for additional time.
Dr. Burgess also reminded the commission that rules are being developed under Act 711 to allow pharmacists to initiate PrEP and PEP; public comment on that rulemaking is expected in late October or November. Slide decks from today's presentations will be distributed to commissioners and are available to the public by request.
